L, is for the way you look at me
by Nova-Janna
Summary: A dance, a song, a thin line between love and hate. HGDM One-shot.


**A/N: My friends and I were singing this song endlessly, but I was feeling super depressed (but not in that annoying way that some people use to get attention) so there was some….Strangeness. Whatever. Just read, and tell me what you think. I like it. But I like most of my stuff. Also, Hermione's POV is in regular print, and Draco's POV is in bold, like this. **

_L, is for the way you look at me_

I can feel his eyes boring into the back of my head. They follow me everywhere, to the drink table, to the table I'm sharing with Harry and Ron and their two dates. They followed me all the way around the room when I made my circuit, greeting everyone and gushing over dresses and cute dates. They even followed me as I was swept across the dance floor while I was dancing with Blaise Zabini, my fellow Head.

He watched me when I first walked in, and he's watching me right now. And he's watching me with disdain. I try not to look back, try not to meet his fiery. I hate him as much as he hates me, I think. But the way his eyes follow me everywhere, pure loathing, contempt, and scorn. It's unnerving, and it's ruining my night. I've got to do something…

**She keeps glancing over, and each time I see a trace of the wistful look she wears when she looks at anyone and anything else at this stupid ball. But as soon as she meets my gaze, her eyes turn angered, annoyed, and maybe even a little amused. I hate it. I hate the anger, because she isn't half as mad as I am at ever having to see her. I hate the annoyance, because it's such a simple emotion. His family deserved emotions at their strongest, whether it was hate or love or something in between. Not that they love. And I hate the amusement the most, because there's nothing amusing about me, or her. **

**Then she looks confused, and then as if she's tired of the little game we're playing. I'm not playing. I'm directing all of my energy into hating her. But I rejoice when I see she's confused. I'm wining, in a way, because she doesn't know what my next move is. Perhaps she thinks I wouldn't do anything to spoil her evening, or mine. But she's wrong. I'll ruin it for her, and the both of us, if I must. **

_O, is for the only one I see_

It amazes me how easily I can follow his burning gaze back to his spot in a quiet corner. It's like there's some burning thread between us that I can follow instantly, no matter the crowd of people between us. It amazes me and scares me, because of the invisible tie that's pulling me closer every time I walk away.

I wish he would stop glaring, let me be just this once. I'm truly happy, despite the fact that I have no date, and he's spoiling the evening for me. It shouldn't matter, really, since all he's doing is watching. It's strange, and unsettling, but I'm having a good time…Who am I kidding? It's horrible; I feel like he's going to pounce any second. I feel like each person I nudge around is part of a conspiracy against me. I'm paranoid on a night that might have been perfect and it's all his fault.

**My gaze will never leave her. Whether it's boring into her face, her back, or her corseted chest, I'm not averting my gaze for a second. I can't. It's become a bit of a challenge, actually. To follow her everywhere, especially since I get the feeling she's trying to lose my gaze. She won't be able to. I can pick her out anywhere. **

**It's not that she's wearing a particularly bright colour. It's not the colour of her hair, which has never been outstanding. It's that there's some strange power I appear to have to pick her out of a crowd instantaneously. Focus on a group of people, and I can see her, and she'd nothing special. She keeps glancing around, quickly. I've gotten to her. I am winning this strange game. **

_V, is very, very extraordinary_

He is different than anyone else I have ever known. He is hateful and spiteful and rude and conceited. But most of all, he is the only person I have ever known who has hated without good reason. There are people who are prejudiced because of skin colour, of nation. He has a problem with the blood that runs through my veins. But that brings up the question; why do I hate him? For his purer blood? No.

Because he's him. He hates me because I'm me. That's not fair, it's wrong. But he hates me with an intensity no one could even begin to imagine. It's so strong, so pure a hate that no author could even begin to describe it, no painter could ever capture. I hate him. I hate him. I hate him. And something must be done about the way he's ruining my evening.

**I said she wasn't different. I lied. She's the only girl who has ever not wanted me, the only girl who didn't dream of me, the only girl who has ever hated me. So I hate her because she's different. She's smarter, wittier, a quicker thinker than all the others, boys and girls. **

**  
She's so different I hate her more than I thought I could hate anyone. It's not just my upbringing. It's so much more. It started with that. But then it was the resistance of my charms, of me. How could anyone loathe me? I hate her because she hates me and she hates me because I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. She's so different I can pick her out in this crowd, so different I know what she might say in a given situation, so different her quirks are quirkier. I hate her. **

_E, is even more than anyone that you can adore_

"Granger, what are we doing?"

"We are dancing Malfoy. I asked you, and you complied. We are dancing, everyone is watching."

"Why?"

"Because I asked you, and-"

"Why did you ask?"

"Why did you say yes?"

"I asked you first."

"Because you were watching me. Intensely. It was eerie."

"So you decided to confront the problem?"

"Face to face," she agreed, smiling. "Why were you staring at me?"

"To ruin your evening by making you increasingly paranoid."

She sighed. "That's what I thought."

"Why Granger?" I began, smirking. "Did you want me to say I was hopelessly infatuated with you?"

"No. That would be more unnerving," she replied, flashing me a smirk.

_Love is all that I can give to you  
Love is more than just a game for two  
Two in love can make it  
Take my heart and please don't break it  
Love was made for me and you_

"I hate you," he said, after they'd danced two more sets in complete silence. They were both aware of all eyes on them. They were both surprisingly comfortable in each other's arms, though they were a good length away from each other.

"Likewise, Mister Malfoy. Likewise." As Hermione finished speaking, a muggle song came on. "I recognize this," she said thoughtfully, as Nat King Cole's lyrics to "L-O-V-E" blared out. Couples across the room joined up, but many eyes resided on Draco and Hermione.

"So do I," he replied, looking down at her with an odd expression on his face.

"A muggle song?"

He gave a small shrug. "I have my reasons."

"I'm sure you do," she murmured softly, eyes sweeping the hall. Then she surprised him by leaning up and whispering her own lyrics along with the song into his ear. "_H, is for the horrid things you do."_

He leaned down to her ear, and they were both aware of how close their bodies had become. "_A, is for the anger that show through."_

"_T, is for terrorizing everyone you see and-"_

"_E, is even more than anyone that you can abhor."_

The two kept dancing all through the night, without saying another word to each other, and then Hermione whispered once more. "I hate you."

"I hate you more," he replied, smirking, giving her the same fiery gaze as before.

Briefly, she wondered ho he could look both fierce and amused at once. Then she surprised him, and everyone else, once more. She tilted her head and kissed him on the cheek, not too long, before silently gliding away.

"I hate you enough to do this," he said, once he caught up with her, kissing her soundly on the mouth.

She gave him a small, sad smile. "I thought so."

**A/N: Make of this what you will, but please tell me in a review. Whether you hated it, loved it, or something in between…**


End file.
